THINK SMALL

I love big things. I enjoy a big view of the ocean every day, I like going to big events, I like a big sound, I even take note of “big guys” (football/basketball size men who I am happy to not compete against!) and most of all I love the bigness of God who is far bigger than any big I could imagine.

I also love it when our BIG God makes things small. Today I had the opportunity to think small in my world of bigness. Here is where it began . . .

Many years ago, as a youth pastor, I had a seventh grader named Alissa show up to our ministry.

She came for awhile but decided her way was better than God’s.

Somewhere in those years my own daughter, Kelly, was born

Just before Kelly showed up in our youth ministry Alissa decided to make a change and attend Seattle Pacific University.

At SPU, Alissa’s heart softened and she decided to put her trust in God.

With eyes open to the big things of God she went on a missions trip to Madagascar with a guy named Jamie.

After awhile they fell in love and decided to spend the rest of their lives together serving God . . . in Madagascar.

We celebrated their wedding and their preparation began.

Not long after, Kelly began her college career at Seattle Pacific.

While there she began attending QUEST church, pastored by Eugene Cho.

Jamie and Alissa, were nearing the end of their schooling and began their fundraising to be missionaries with WORLD VENTURE and heavily supported by the people of Free Methodist Church of Santa Barbara.

In this same time period they were approached by EDEN REFORESTATION, a Free Methodist ministry founded to plant trees in deforested areas so the environment would be healed, people employed, churches started and lives saved. EDEN was ready to partner with them in re-planting trees in Madagascar.

Two years ago, Eugene Cho, the pastor of Kelly’s church began a non-profit called ONE DAY’S WAGES, a ministry described as this: “One day's wages is about 0.4% of your annual income. Simply donate one day's wages or another amount you want to invest.” With this money many partner organizations have been helped.

Jamie, Alissa and their three children left for Madagascar. Through the work of EDEN REFORESTATION over 25 million trees have already been planted there since 2006.

Today ONE DAY’S WAGES announced their partnership in MADAGASCAR with EDEN REFORESTATION. Now even more trees will be planted, hiring more people and saving more lives.

Two girls, two in-direct but significant connections, two successful organizations joining hands across the miles, doing something better together, making this world a little smaller and God a lot bigger.

By the way, those t-shirts on the kids? They came from Cliff Drive Care Center, FMCSB’s own ministry to the children of this community. Just another small world, big thing in our life with God.